Setback for forces as NaVIC goes down to 3 sats; ex-IAF chief calls desi navigation system a 'failure'

Surendra Singh

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NEW DELHI: India’s regional navigation system NaVIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation system), costing upwards of over Rs 3,200 crore, is now hanging by a thread as the number of fully functional navigation satellites in space has dropped to three satellites. NavIC is designed to run effectively with a constellation of seven satellites, though a minimum of four satellites is required for accurate 3D position, navigation, and timing (PNT) services.

Tired of too many ads?go ad free nowWith Isro failing to launch two navigation satellites (IRNSS-1H in 2017 and NVS-02 in 2025) in recent years due to different reasons like rocket failure, India’s regional system is facing a failure as the satellite numbers have dipped to three — IRNSS-1B, IRNSS-1L, and second-generation NVS-01 — below the minimum requirement of 4 satellites. A major setback occurred after the last atomic clock, which is the heart of a navigation satellite, on board navigation satellite IRNSS-1F stopped functioning on March 10, leaving only three satellites of India’s NaVIC constellation in function.